Improvement in wagon-brakes



PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES WEATHERS, OF GREENSBURG, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN WAGON-BRAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 57,417, dated August21, 1866.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES WEATHERs, ofGreensburg, in the county of Decatur and State of Indiana, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Wagon-Brakes; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, and to theletters of reference marked thereon.

In the annexed drawing, making part of this specification, A representsthe wheels, 13 the body, and O the axles, of an ordinary farmwagon. Theaxles are connected by the usual hounds, D D representing the rear, andE E the front, hounds. Lying under and across and bolted to the rearhounds is a strong wooden bar, F.

G represents a metallic brake-rod, which is secured to the bar F bymeans of staples. Upon the ends of the brake-rod G are brakeblocks H H,which work against the hind wheels,

I represents a lever, which is secured at its lower end to the brake-rodI. This lever stands up by the side of the wagon bed or body, and isprovided with an opening in its upper end, in which is tied one end of acord, J. The cord J passes from and secures to a vertical sh aft, K. Theshaft K has its lower hearing in the forward bolster and its upperhearing in the loop of a metallic strap, 0, secured to the body B. Uponthe shaft K is a wheel, a with beveled teeth, which acts as aratchetwheel.

L represents a bent lever, which is pivoted to the body of the wagon.One end of this lever, near where it is pivoted to the body, is curvedand provided with a shoulder, as seen at as, so that it will catch inthe teeth of the wheel a, similar to the catching ofa pawl in the teethof a ratchet-wheel. One end of the lever L stands in a verticalposition, as seen, and acts as a handle for relieving the brake when ithas been applied. The weight of the lever L serves to operate it incatching in the teeth of wheel a when the shaft K is turned or revolved.The upper end of shaft K is provided with a crank-handle.

It will readily be seen that, when it is desired to apply thebrake-blocks H, by turning the shaft K the cord J is wound around it,drawing up the lever I, thus operating the rod G and throwing the blocksagainst the hind wheels. As the shaft K revolves the curved end of leverL, with its notch or shoulder, catches in the teeth of wheel a andstations it at any desired point.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The arrangement of the bar F, pivoted or bolted to the hind hounds, withthe rod G, block H H, cord J, shaft K, provided with wheel a, and leverL, constructed and operating as and for the purpose herein specified.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my name.

JAMES WEATHERS.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL BRYAN, JAMES KING.

